Smollett-Brown Romance Emerges
Jussie Smollett and Karamo Brown Fuel Dating Speculation with Affectionate Los Angeles Sightings
Key Points
Karamo Brown has a history of high-profile dating prior to this romance, including a past engagement to director Ian Jordan and a long-term relationship with photographer Carlos Medel that lasted into early 2025.
Jussie Smollett's legal history includes a 2021 conviction on five felony counts for disorderly conduct, a conviction that was later overturned by the Illinois Supreme Court, which did not rule on his innocence.
Smollett and Brown previously worked together on the 2024 film The Lost Holiday, indicating they have a professional connection beyond their current public romance.
Initial reporting of the dating comes from TMZ, with subsequent coverage expanding to Extratv, Perez Hilton, and JustJared, illustrating broad media interest in the pair.
Jussie Smollett and Karamo Brown are reportedly dating, according to TMZ, after the pair was photographed together multiple times in Los Angeles. The sightings included a lunch with Brown's mother, errands around the city, and a hike at Runyon Canyon where the two showed public affection.
The romance comes weeks after Smollett ended his three-year engagement to Jabari Redd — a split described as amicable — and after Brown's long-term relationship with photographer Carlos Medel ended in early 2025, according to Complex.
From Film Set to Runyon Canyon: How They Met
Smollett and Brown first worked together on the 2024 film The Lost Holiday. Smollett directed, wrote, and starred in the movie. Brown played a lead role alongside him. During the press circuit, Brown praised Smollett's work, telling reporters that working with Jussie was "a masterclass in resilience and creativity," Vulture reported.
By late February 2025, TMZ published photos of the two at a Los Angeles lunch that included Brown's mother, Charmaine. Analysts view her presence as a sign the relationship was already serious. By March, JustJared and ExtraTV documented hand-holding and embraces during a hike at Runyon Canyon.
Smollett's Conviction Overturned, But Controversy Remains
In December 2024, the Illinois Supreme Court overturned Smollett's 2021 conviction on five felony counts of disorderly conduct. The court ruled that the Cook County State's Attorney's Office could not prosecute him a second time after already striking a deal in 2019. The court did not rule on whether Smollett was innocent.
The 2019 incident — in which Smollett was accused of staging a hate crime against himself — remains deeply divisive. The City of Chicago originally sued him for $130,000 to cover police overtime costs. That civil case remains an open legal footnote, according to Out.
Brown's Reputation Seen as Key to Smollett's Public Comeback
Karamo Brown is best known as the culture expert on Netflix's Queer Eye. He has a long history of advocating for empathy and second chances. As early as 2019, Brown publicly defended Smollett, telling one outlet, "We are all human beings who deserve grace and the opportunity to tell our truths."
PR observers note that Brown's "squeaky-clean" image could help soften Smollett's polarizing profile. Social media mentions for "Karamo Brown" jumped 72% in the 48 hours after the Runyon Canyon photos were published, according to Brandwatch data cited in the live research. Yahoo and Out both covered the story, reflecting wide mainstream interest.
Media Reaction Splits Between Celebration and Skepticism
Coverage of the couple falls into two camps. Outlets like TMZ, JustJared, and Perez Hilton frame the story as a feel-good Hollywood romance — two people moving on after heartbreak. LGBTQ+ publications have focused on the visibility of two prominent Black gay men in a public relationship.
Skeptical outlets continue to call Smollett the "disgraced Empire actor" and argue the Supreme Court ruling was a legal technicality — not a finding of innocence. Meanwhile, The Lost Holiday saw a 15% spike in streaming numbers after the lunch photos broke, showing the romance is already paying off professionally for both stars, per Variety Intelligence Lab data.
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